Brian Dumoulin’s life will slow down at some point. It didn’t happen Tuesday.

The Biddeford High graduate and Boston College junior defenseman signed his first pro hockey contract with the Carolina Hurricanes of the NHL, just two hours before climbing on a parade float with his Boston College teammates.

It was time to celebrate the NCAA championship won Saturday in Tampa, Fla., with a caravan through campus and onto a short stretch of Commonwealth Avenue in Boston.

Then came the goodbyes. Dumoulin has to be on a flight today out of Boston to join Carolina’s AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers. He’s expected to play for his new team Friday night against the Peoria Rivermen in Illinois as both teams scramble for a spot in the Calder Cup playoffs.

The transition from enjoying a second national title in three years with Boston College to joining a minor league team competing for the playoffs will be abrupt.

“I didn’t want to take off my jersey (after Boston College beat Ferris State for the title),” said Dumoulin. “Just knowing it would be the last time with my teammates and thankful that I got this opportunity to play for Boston College.”

Dumoulin, who is 6-foot-5, 210 pounds and 20 years old, was Carolina’s second-round draft pick and the 51st player chosen overall in the 2009 NHL draft.

In money figures released by Carolina, Dumoulin received a $270,000 bonus to sign a three-year entry-level contract that begins with a base salary of $700,000 should he make the Hurricanes’ roster next season and ends with an $800,000 salary, not including performance bonuses.

If Dumoulin is assigned to Charlotte next season, he’ll earn $67,500 for his time in the AHL.

The decision to leave Boston College a year early was a family decision, according to his father, Pete Dumoulin, who was back in Biddeford.

“Why is this a good time (to sign)? That’s the million-dollar question. We left it up to him to decide and would have supported him either way, but he understood how much we value education,” said Pete Dumoulin. “It’s like taking a promotion at work. If the big boss says you’re ready, you’ve got to believe you’re ready.”

Brian Dumoulin said he’s ready. He saw the high percentage of players who didn’t get their college degrees if they left after their sophomore year. Now he’s physically, emotionally and mentally older.

“Brian will handle it,” said Pete Dumoulin. “It’s the same life, it’s another game, it’s what they do. Brian is just going to another team. The kids are better, bigger and a little faster.”

Carolina wanted Dumoulin to sign immediately after Saturday’s game, said Gary Prolman, the Portland-based agent who handled the negotiations.

Dumoulin wanted to stay just long enough with his BC teammates for their return to campus.

Prolman wrapped up the contract details Monday.

From Carolina’s perspective, it was important Dumoulin got a feel for the pro game quickly. After Charlotte’s season ends, Dumoulin will return to campus for semester finals.

He has stockpiled college credits and will continue two classes online. He is a business major.

“He’s the kid from Biddeford,” said Prolman. “No one would have ever predicted all this. Brian has been beating the odds his whole career.

“People said he was too lanky or he was too slow or he wasn’t strong enough. He just went about improving and asking, ‘What else do you think I can’t do?’ “

Dumoulin is the second Prolman client in two weeks to sign an NHL contract. Matt Mangene, a University of Maine junior forward, signed with the Philadelphia Flyers and reported to their AHL affiliate.

Dumoulin may be reuniting with a former Boston College goalie, John Muse. Muse went undrafted and signed with the Portland Pirates last April. The Pirates won the one game he played.

Muse has shuttled between Charlotte and the Florida Everblades of the ECHL this season.

 

Staff Writer Steve Solloway can be contacted at 791-6412 or at: ssolloway@pressherald.com